Door and window frame supporting structure



' Fi1ed Maron 19, 1957 April 14, 1959 F `l Acos1-E 2,881,813

DOOR AND WINDOW FRAME SUPPORTING STRUCTUR 2 sheets-smet 1 April 14, 1959 F. LACOSTE DOOR AND WINDOW FRAME SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Filed March 19, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVEN roR I I 30a fra/:wis facose DOOR AND WINDOW FRAME SUPPORTING STRUCTURE Francois Lacoste, Ville St. Laurent, Quebec, Canada Application March 19, 1957, Serial No. 647,110

6 Claims. (Cl. 144-288) This invention relates to door and window placement support apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for supporting door and window frames in their selected locations within a building where the walls and partitions are built up around the door and window frames.

The invention consists essentially in the provision of a supporting apparatus for door and window frames Which can be set up between the floor and ceiling of a building and can be adjusted over a wide range to hold the door or window frames in their correct and aligned position while allowing a maximum of access space through said door or window frame until such time as the door or window frame is held in place and supported by the formed walls or partitions and the supporting apparatus can be removed.

The object of the invention is to provide a frame supporting structure which will give la maximum of access through and about the supported frame while the retaining wall or partition is being built about the frames.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame supporting structure which can be adjusted in Various directions to suit heights of floor levels and sizes of door `or window frames.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame supporting structure which has self contained adjustments whereby the supported frames can be aligned and plumbed directly on the supporting structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a supporting structure particularly suitable for supporting and adjusting in place, light and highly finished metal door and window frames, during their assembly in a building structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame supporting structure which can be rapidly set up and knocked down and which `can support door or window frames from the smallest to the largest size without the use of additional attachments.

These and other objects will be apparent from the following specifcation and the drawings illustrating the structure, in Which- Fig. 1 is a front vertical elevation showing a door frame supported on the structure.

Fig. 2 is a side sectional elevation on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 showing the door frame supported in line with the wall in which it is to be tted.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the top end of one of the between floor support members.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the adjusting means for the between floor support members.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the top frame supporting arms.

Fig. 6 is a side view of the supporting arm shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on the line 7--7 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a frame supporting bracket as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 and showing the bonded cushion surface.

ited states atnt Fig. 9 is a plan view of one of the lower frame supporting arms.

Fig. 10 is a side view of the supporting arm shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. ll is a vertical section on the line 11-11 of Fig. 10.

Referring to the drawings, the door frame to be supported is indicated at 1 and may be of any type that is normally located in the building structure before the walls and partitions are formed about them. While a door frame is shown at 1 it is understood that any other form of framework such as windows can be supported in the manner disclosed. The door frame shown consists of the two side rails 2-2, a top rail 3 and a bottom spreader member 4. In some cases the side rails do not extend down to the oor level as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the intervening space being filled in with a finishing piece after the finished oor 5 is laid. In that case extension pieces 6 are fitted to the side rails 2 and the spreader member is iitted between them.

Each frame 1 is supported in place by a pair of supporting structures comprising a telescoping pipe member 7 extending between the iloor 8 and the ceiling 9. These telescoping pipe members comprise a lower pipe member 10 having a flange floor engaging member 11 preferably having spikes 12 on its under surface to ensure non-slip engagement with the floor 8. The upper pipe member 13 telescopes into the pipe 10 and is provided at its upper end with a spherical surfaced pin 14 which seats in the socket 15 of the liange 16. The pin 14 is secured in the pipe 13 by means of the rivets 17 and the swivel head allows the tiange to seat rmly against the sealing surface. The flange 16 is provided with the spikes 18, to ensure non-slip engagement of the flange 16 with the ceiling 9.

The upper end of the pipes 10 are threaded at 19 for engagement with the threaded adjusting sleeve 20 which is provided with handles 21 for ease in rotating the sleeve 20 on the pipe 10. The two pipes 10 and 13 are held in telescopic adjustment by means of the pin 22 which passes through the sleeve 2l) and through one of a series of apertures 23 in the pipe 13, spaced at intervals vertically for rough adjustment of the telescoping pipe member 7 between the floor 8 and the ceiling 9, line adjustment of the member '7 being accomplished by means of the adjustment sleeve 20.

Each of the telescoping pipe members 7 carry an upper bracket 24 and a lower bracket 25, both having sleeves 26 slidably mounted on the pipe 10 and held in position thereon by the handscrew 27. The brackets 24 andv 25 are ofset at right angles to their sleeves 26 and are slotted horizontally at 27.

The upper brackets 24 carry the pair of support brackets 28. Each bracket 28 comprises a forked vertical member 29 adapted to be slidably engaged with the bracket 24 and a transverse horizontally disposed angle member 30. The brackets 28 are held in horizontally adjustable engagement with the brackets 24 by means of the clamp bolts 31 and Wing nuts 32, the bolts 31 passing through the slots 27 and the aperture 33 in one leg of the fork member 29. The pairs of support brackets 28 are disposed in the brackets 24 with their angle members 30 facing inwardly towards each other as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings and have their angled faces covered with a rubber facing 30a or other similar material securely bonded thereto for support of the upper rail 3 of the door frame 1.

The lower brackets 25 are similar in construction to the brackets 24 but instead carry a pair of transverse brackets 34 extending horizontally outwards. These brackets have a vertical fork member 29 similar to the fork member on the bracket 28 above described and are clamped on the bracket 25 by a similar clamp bolt 31 and wing nut 32. The brackets 34 are slotted at 3S, these slots, in the pairy of brackets bein-g disposed parallel with each other as shown in Fig. 9. Each of the brackets 34 carries an inwardly disposed frame locating arm 36 adjustably clamped on the brackets 34 by means of the clamp bolt 37 passing through the slot 35 and arm 36 and secured by the Wing nut 38. A vertically disposed face 39 projects upwardly from one edge of the arm 36 and has bonded to its outer face a rubber pad 40, or lsimilar material. This surface 40 contacting the inner surface of the vertical rail 2 of the door frame 1.

Having now described one preferred form of the invention, the setting up and adjustment of the invention with respect to a door frame will now be described.

The telescoping pipe members 7 are set up in pairs in as close approximation to the location of the door 1 as possible, and having their brackets Z4 and 25 facing inwardly towards each other as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The door frame 1 is then hung on the upper supporting brackets 28 and is located on the brackets 24 by adjusting the position of the brackets 2S thereon to bring the frame into line with the proposed wall shown in Chain dotted lines at 41 in Fig. 2. Once the door frame 1 is brought into line with the proposed wall 41, the lower end of the frame is now held in vertical alignment by means of adjustment of the brackets 34 and arms 36, the alignment of the frame being checked by means of a plumb-line or other suitable means. The frame locating arms 36 hold the vertical rails 2 of the frame rigidly so that there is no strain on the spreader member 4 and on the vertical extension pieces 6.

With the frame 1 held in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the pipe structures 7 are located relatively close to the width of the vertical rails 2 of the frame 1, the only interfering projection with the passageway through the frame being the offset brackets 24 and 25. Normally the brackets 24 offer no interference with the passage through the frame 1 and the brackets 25 can be adjusted vertically to a height which will allow passage of most construction equipment such as wheel barrows, etc.

When the frame 1 has been finally set up in position, the Walls or partitions 41 can then be formed, these serving to hold the frame 1 rigidly in place. After the Walls have nally set, if of the cast variety, the frame supporting structure can then be removed for further use.

With a supporting structure as above described the door or" window frame is completely supported while being adjusted into its proper location and is therefore not subject to distortion or other damage as is the case when temporary supporting framework is built around it. Furthermore the padded contact surfaces of the structure ensure that the frame surfaces are not permanently marked as would be the case Where screw clamps are used.

WWhat I claim is:

1. In a frame supporting and aligning structure, a pair of column members, oor and ceiling engaging means on the ends of each of said column members upper and lower column brackets slidably mounted on each of said column members, means to secure said brackets to said column members in vertical spaced relation to each other, a pair of frame supporting angle brackets on said upper column brackets, said angle brackets being horizontally adjustable on the upper column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other, a pair of arm supporting brackets' mounted on each of the lower column brackets said latter brackets adapted to be horizontally adjusted on said lower column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other and a frame locating arm on each of said latter mentioned brackets, said frame locating arms being adjusted horizontally on said arm supif porting brackets in planes parallel with a plane passing through said pair of column members and adapted to hold the inner sides of the lower portion of the supported frame in its aligned position on the supporting structure.

2. In a frame supporting and aligning structure, a pair of column members, oor and ceiling engaging means on the ends of each of said column members upper and lower column brackets slidably mounted on each of said column members and projecting therefrom in planes parallel with each other, means to secure said brackets to said column members in vertical spaced relation to each other, a pair of frame supporting angle brackets on said upper column brackets, said angle brackets being horizontally adjustable on the upper column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other, a pair of arm supporting brackets mounted on each of the lower column brackets, said arm supporting brackets being disposed in planes at right angles to the plane of the lower column brackets and horizontally adjustable on said lower column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other, and a frame locating arm on each of said latter mentioned brackets, said frame locating arms being adjusted horizontally on said arm supporting brackets and adapted to be brought into contact with the inner sides of the lower portion of the supported frame to hold said frame in rigid alignment on the supporting structure.

3. In a frame supporting and aligning structure, a pair of adjustable column members, iioor and ceiling engaging means on ythe ends of each of said column members upper and lower column brackets slidably mounted on each of said column members and projecting therefrom in planes parallel with each other, means to secure said brackets to said column members in vertical spaced relation to each other, a pair of frame supporting angle brackets on said upper column brackets, said angle brackets being horizontally adjustable on the upper column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other and disposed inside of and supporting the upper end of said frame member, a pair of arm supporting brackets mounted on each of the lower column brackets, said arm supporting brackets being disposed in planes at right angles to the plane of the lower column brackets and horizontally adjustable on said lower column brackets in relation to said column members and to each other, and a frame locating arm on each of said latter mentioned brackets, said frame locating arms being adjusted horizontally on said arm supporting brackets, and adapted to be brought into contact with the innersides of the lower portion of the supported frame to hold said frame in rigid alignment on the supporting structure.

4. In a frame supporting and aligning structure a pair of frame supporting members each comprising a telescopic column member adjustable as to height, floor and ceiling engaging means on the ends of each of said column members upper and lower column brackets slidably mounted on the column member and secured thereon in vertically spaced relation to each other, the plane of said brackets being offset from the vertical axis of said column member, a pair of frame supporting angle brackets on said upper column brackets, said angle brackets being horizontally adjustable on the upper column bracket in relation to saidcolumn and to each other, a pair of arm supporting brackets mounted on the lower column bracket, said arm supporting brackets being disposed in a plane at right angles to the plane of the lower column bracket and being horizontally adjustable on said lower column brackets in relation to said column member and to each other, and a frame locating arm on each of said arm supporting brackets, said frame locating arms being horizontally adjustable on said arm supporting brackets.

5. In a frame supporting and aligning structure as set forth in claim 4, in which the column brackets are slotted in a horizontal direction to receive clamp bolts for securing the angle brackets and the arm supporting brackets in their horizontally adjusted position.

6. In a frame supporting 1nd aligning structure as set forth in claim 5, in which the arm supporting brackets are slotted to receive clamp bolts for securing the frame locating arms in their horizontally adjusted position on said brackets.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Johnson May 1, 191'7 Simpson et al Ian. 21, 1919 Laser Mar. 16, 1926 Steinbrink Oct. 8, 1940 Zern Sept. 9, 1947 

